Navajo Nation to hold tribal energy summit

WINDOW ROCK — The Navajo Nation is hugely dependent on coal for revenue.

Tribal officials want to get their government talking about how to diversify the portfolio at an energy summit.

The tribe’s Division of Natural Resources is sponsoring the summit to be held July 23-24 at the Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort east of Flagstaff.

Navajo President Ben Shelly signed off an updated energy policy last October that keeps coal prominently in the tribe’s energy mix. At the time, he said the tribe also must explore clean coal technology and make strides in renewable energy development.

The summit is a chance to discuss the energy policy, along with the history of natural resources on the Navajo Nation, coal markets, carbon capture and the future of renewable energy.